Lapeirousia fabricii leaves

The ribbed, sword-shaped leaves of Lapeirousia fabricii spread in a fan-shape next to the flower stem. They are broad, short and obtusely pointed. October is already hot here in the Gifberg, the leaves and bracts red and stressed, well after the rainy season.

This plant used to be called Gladiolus fabricii and Ixia fabricii respectively at various times in its botanical history. Commonly known as cabong, as are several other Lapeirousia species, in Afrikaans it is sometimes called katklou-koringblom (cat claw wheat flower) (Manning, 2007; Manning and Goldblatt, 1996; iNaturalist).